Rail follower assembly

ABSTRACT

A rail follower assembly for track working equipment in which the reference device to be held in laterally fixed relation to a rail is mounted on a bar suspended by a pair of parallel links holding the bar above and parallel to the track. The bar carries an arm supporting a rail following roller that can be positioned against the side of a rail head when the bar is swung up and away from that rail head so that the weight of the bar holds the roller against the rail and establishes the fixed lateral spacing between the rail and the reference device. A pair of roller carrying arms are provided on the bar so that either rail can be engaged, and both arms can be locked in raised position so that the bar will hang well clear of the rails for on-track travel of the equipment.

United States Patent 1 Root July 17, 1973 [54] RAIL FOLLOWER ASSEMBLY Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan a Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch [75] Invent fil f g Ludmgwn Att0rney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Ley'dig, Voit, & OSflnn,

.7. l l Ltd. et al. 73 Assi nee: ackson Vibrators Inc. Ludin on, l g ifich. gt 57 ABSTRACT A rail follower assembly for track working equipment [22] Filed 1971 in which the reference device to be held in laterally [21] App]. No.: 172,827 fixed relation to a rail is mounted on a bar suspended by a pair of parallel links holding the bar above and parallel to the track. The bar carries an arm supporting g 23 a rail following roller that can be positioned against the side of a rail head when the bar is swung p and y [58] Field of Search 33/60 34; from that rail head so that the weight of the bar holds the roller against the rail and establishes the fixed lat- [56] References Cited era] spacing between the rail and the reference device. A pair of roller carrying arms are provided on the bar UNITED STATES PATENTS so that either rail can be engaged, and both arms can 3,381,174 8/1967 Oville 104/8 be locked in raised position so that the bar hang 3,050,015 well clear of the rails for on-track travel of the equip- 8/1962 Talboys 104/8 Il'lCIlt.

. 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIEB JUL 1 7 ms SHEET 2 OF 2 RAIL FOLLOWER ASSEMBLY This invention relates generally to on-track railroad maintenance equipment and more particularly concems an assembly for horizontally following a track rail and holding a device in fixed relation thereto.

Railroad track maintenance equipment, for both surfacing and lining the track, has been automated in recent years so that the machines work automatically or semiautomatically to reference lines or planes established by wires, light beams and the like. An example of a fully automated machine for both surfacing and lining is shown in Fagan et al. US. Pat. No. 3,381,626, issued May 7, 1968. With this equipment, lights, slotted masks and elongated sensors establish the reference lines to which the track rails are adjusted.

It is relatively easy to hold reference devices in fixed and following relationship with the vertical position of the rails, but holding such a lateral or horizontal relationship is more difficult. The Fagan et al. patent identified above shows pneumatic actuators for urging the reference device supports laterally so as to follow the rails in a horizontal plane.

It is the primary aim of the present invention to provide a greatly simplified rail follower assembly acting in a horizontal plane which is more reliable in operation and less expensive to manufacture than assemblies using pneumatic actuators, springs or the like.

A collateral object of the invention is to provide an assembly as characterized above that can be easily put into operation to follow either rail of the track, and which will function without difficulty through curves having considerable rail superelevation.

Another object is to provide an assembly of the above kind which can be quickly and easily cleared from the rail for on-track travel of the associated machine, without requiring lifting cylinders, valves or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective showing a rail following assembly of the invention associated with a piece of track working equipment;

FIG. 2 is afragmentary rear elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is'an enlarged horizontal section taken approximately along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 2 but shows the parts in an alternate position; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken approximately along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that I do not intent to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, Iintend to cover all altematives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Turning first to FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a piece of railroad track working equipment 10 having a frame 11 supported for movement along the rails 12 and 13 of a track on flanged, rail engaging wheels 14. The rails 12, 13 are supported and anchored relative to one another on ties 15, see FIG. 2. A rail follower assembly 20.embodying theinvention is mounted on the frame 11 for supporting a track working reference device 21 to one side of the equipment 10. In order to illustrate the invention, the device 21 shown is a track lining sensor of the kind designated by the numeral 34 in the above-identified patent No. 3,381,626 which, to be properly located, must be disposed at the rear of the track working equipment at a fixed lateral distance from the reference rail as the equipment moves along the track.

In accordance with the invention, the assembly includes a bar 22 disposed transversely of the track just above the rails 12, 13 which is swingably suspended by a pair of sustantially parallel links 23 and 24 pivoted both on th bar 22 and on an extension 25 of the frame 11 by pivot pins 26. An arm is movably mounted on the bar 22 by being pivoted at 41 on a bracket 42 secured to the bar, and the lower end of the arm 40 carries a rail following device in the form of a pair of joumalled rollers 43. When the bar 22 is swung on the links 23, 24 up and away from the :rail 12, as in FIG. 2, the lower end of the arm 40 can be positioned adjacent the head of the rail 12 so that the rollers 43 are in moving, rolling engagement with the side of the rail as the equipment moves down the track.

To lock the arm 40 in two alternate positions, there are two sets of holes 45 in the bracket 42, compare FIGS. 2 and 5, and a matching hole 46 in the arm 40, see FIG. 4, so that, when the arm hole 46 is alined with one set of the bracket holes 35, a pin 47 can be inserted to fix the arm against pivoting, With the arm locked in its FIG. 5 rollers up position, the bar 22 swings down on the links 23, 24 and the assembly is well clear of the track for on-track travel of the equipment. With the arm 40 locked in its FIGS. 2 and 4 rollers down position, the weight of the bar and supported elements holds the roller in firm engagement with the side of the rail.

Preferably, a second arm 30 with rollers 33 is mounted on a second bracket 32 secured to the bar 22 over the rail 13. These parts 30, 32,. 33 are substantially identical, but of opposite hand, to the arm 40, bracket 42 and rollers 43. By locking the arm 30 in its down position and shifting the bar 22 up and to the left in FIG. 5, it can be seen that the assembly will follow the rail 13. The arm 30 is pivoted at 31 and associated with bracket holes 35 and a pin 37 so as to function in a manner corresponding to that already described in connection with the arm 40.

In the illustrated construction, the sensing device 21 is held in a support 50 adapted to be fitted into the end of the bracket 32 and held by a pair of bolts 51 and 52 which pass through slots 53 so as to permit limited lateral adjustment of the device 21 relative to the bar 22. A similar support 55 is similarly mounted in the bracket 42 for holding a reference device at the opposite side of the equipment.

To prevent undesirable free swinging of the bar 22 during on-track travel, one of the links, the link 24, is slightly elongated and provided with holes 61 that are alined with a hole 62 in the bar 22 when the bar and links are at substantially right angles. By inserting a pin 63 through the alined holes, see FIGS. 5 and 6, the bar is locked against loose swinging movement and thus the possibility of inadvertent damage to the device 21 during on-track travel is minimized.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the parallelogram linkage concept of the assembly 20, wherein the weight of the assembly itself provides the biasing force maintaining the proper relationship between the device 21 and the reference rail, is substantially more simple than an arrangement using biasing springs or penumatic actuators. This is particularly true when it is appreciated that normally the reference rail shifts from left to right, and vice versa, depending upon the curvature of the track and hence, as the track working equipment moves along the track, a pneumatic biasing apparatus must have provision for valving and otherwise switching the direction of actuation. In the disclosed arrangement, switching the reference rail is simply a matter of pulling and reinserting replaceable pins. Similarly, the assembly can be readily locked clear of the rails for on-track travel without the necessity of employing lifting cylinders, associated valving and the like.

Because of the relative simplicity in design it will be readily apparent that the assembly disclosed is economical to manufacture and not subject to mechanical breakdowns during operation.

I claim as my invention:

1. For use with railroad track working equipment having a frame supported for movement along the track on rail engaging wheels, a rail follower assembly for supporting a track working reference device comprising, in combination, a bar disposed transversely of the track just above the rails, 21 pair of substantially parallel links pivoted both on said frame and on said bar so that the bar is suspended for lateral swinging movement over and substantially parallel to said track, an

arm movably mounted on said bar so that the lower end of said arm can be positioned adjacent the head of one rail when the bar is swung on its links up and away from said one rail, a rail following device mounted on said arm for moving engagement with the side of said one rail, and a support for a reference device secured to said bar so as to move in fixed lateral relation to said one rail while the following device moves along the rail as the equipment moves down the track.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said following device includes a roller positioned to engage the head portion of the rail, and said arm is pivoted on said bar and capable of being locked in two alternate positions, one of said positions disposing the arm and roller well clear of the rail for on-track travel of the equipment and the other position disposing said roller against the side of said rail head with the bar swung up and away so that the weight of the bar urges the roller against the rail.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a second arm movably mounted on said bar so that the lower end of said second arm can be positioned adjacent the head of the other rail when the bar is swung on its links up and away from said other rail, and a second rail following device mounted on said second arm for moving engagement with the side of said other rail, whereby said support can be alternately adapted for movement in fixed lateral relation to either rail of the track.

4. The combination of claim 1 including a releasable latch for locking one of said links and said bar at substantially right angles so as to hold the bar against swinging movement during on-track travel of the equipment. 

1. For use with railroad track working equipment having a frame supported for movement along the track on rail engaging wheels, a rail follower assembly for supporting a track working reference device comprising, in combination, a bar disposed transversely of the track just above the rails, a pair of substantially parallel links pivoted both on said frame and on said bar so that the bar is suspended for lateral swinging movement over and substantially parallel to said track, an arm movably mounted on said bar so that the lower end of said arm can be positioned adjacent the head of one rail when the bar is swung on its links up and away from said one rail, a rail following device mounted on said arm for moving engagement with the side of said one rail, and a support for a reference device secured to said bar so as to move in fixed lateral relation to said one rail while the following device moves along the rail as the equipment moves down the track.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in which said following device includes a roller positioned to engage the head portion of the rail, and said arm is pivoted on said bar and capable of being locked in two alternate positions, one of said positions disposing the arm and roller well clear of the rail for on-track travel of the equipment and the other position disposing said roller against the side of said rail head with the bar swung up and away so that the weight of the bar urges the roller against the rail.
 3. The combination of claim 1 including a second arm movably mounted on said bar so that the lower end of said second arm can be positioned adjacent the head of the other rail when the bar is swung on its links up and away from said other rail, and a second rail following device mounted on said second arm for moving engagement with the side of said other rail, whereby said support can be alternately adapted for movement in fixed lateral relation to either rail of the track.
 4. The combination of claim 1 including a releasable latch for locking one of said links and said bar at substantially right angles so as to hold the bar against swinging movement during on-track travel of the equipment. 